Concrete burial vault



Oct. 14, 1930.

D. E. MINTON ET AL CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT Filed sept. 15, 1928 l Il ooooo/OO/Jgooo ooooooo ooooooooooooo Inventor Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES PAT-Enr oi-"lncar` DONNA E. MINTON AND SENETH H. GALLAGHER, OF PARSONS, KANSAS CONCRETE BURTAL VnUL'r Application filed September 13, 1928. Serial No'. $5,736.

The present invention relates to concrete burial vaults and has for its principal object to provide a moisture absorbing compartment or chamber within the vault adapted to retain a quantity of moisture absorbing material whereby to absorb any moisture which may enter the vault through the walls thereof and thus to maintain the interior of the vault in a dry condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tray adapted for fitting within the vault at the upper portion thereof whereby to form the moisture absorbing compartment and arranged to be sealed within the vault together with the top of the vault.

A still further object is to provide an article of this character of a neat and attractive appearance, which is strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying` drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vault with the top shown in position thereon,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view therethrough,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View therethrough, and

Figure 4 is a top plan View of the tray for the moisture absorbent material.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, for the purpose of illustration, we have illus- 4o trated a burial vault of substantially rectangular formation as indicated generally at 5 and preferably constructed of reinforced concrete or similar plastic composition.

The vault is open at its upper portion and is provided on the inner face of each of its walls, adjacent the upper edge thereof, with a downwardly beveled shoulder 6. lVithin the upper portion of the vault is fitted a tray 7, likewise constructed of reinforced concrete or the like, said tray opening upwardly and disposedwith its upper edges substantially at a horizontal plane with the upper edges of the walls of the vault 5.

rlhe lower edges of the tray are also beveled as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing whereby to provide a snug fit with the beveledsurface of the shoulders 6. The base of the tray is formed with a plurality of openings Sentending therethrough whereby to provide communication between the interior of the vault at the lower portion thereof and the space above the bottom of the tray.

The tray is filled with a quantity of absorbent material indicated at 9 of anyA suitable character well known in the art possessing moisture absorbing qualities. The inner walls of the vault, between the shoulder''v and the upper edge thereof, and the outer surface ofthe walls ofthe tray 7 are formed with horizontally extending grooves 10 and 11 respectively formed at a horizontal plane with respect to each' other and combining tov form a channel within whichmortar 12 may be poured between the cracks between the walls of the vault and the sides of the tray, said channel, `when filled with the mortar constituting an interlocking retaining means for the tray within' the vault as well as serving to seal the air space about the edges of the tray., l f

The top 13 of the vault is then placed upon the upper edges of the walls of the vault and the tray and is likewise secured in position by the mortar. The top 13 is also constructed of reinforced concrete or other plastic composition.

It will be apparent from the foregoing thatrafterth'e trayand top have ybeen fitted in position within the walls that moisture is" prevented from entering the same and any moisture contained in the bottom portion of the vault will readily be absorbed by the absorbent material 9 placed in the tray.

The interior of the vault will thus be maintained in a dry condition.

It is obvious that our invention is susceptible to various changes and modifications in construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, and we accordingly claim l* ,i c V,1,778,367

all such forms of the device to which we are entitled. l y

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is: c Y

l. A burial vault open at its top side and having a reduced position'on the inner walls adjacent Vthe upperedges thereof l:forming a downwardly bevelled shoulder, a tray arranged within the vault and havingbevelled lower edges seating upon said shoulder with Y its upper-edgesfiush-with. the top edges 1o-- thek vault, said tray having openings formedy in the bottom thereof to provide communication between the interior of the tray and the interior of the vault, and a quantity of absorbent material arranged within the tray; and a-cover seated. upon the top edges ofthe walls ofthe vault and of ythe tray, having its outer edges flush with the outer surfaces "'zjof the walls of the vault, and a plastic binder pouredbetween thek walls of the vaultcand the walls ofthe tray and upon the top edges. of the .walls of the vault and of the tray for securing and sealing the tray and the g'sccoverfinthe said .positions withrespect to thevault. v .Y Y 2( A burial vault of the typel described comprising a burial vault having an open top and having a reduced portion about the up 6i; per inner surface of itswalls defining a downwardly bevelled shoulder, and a tray having the lower edges of its walls bevelled to register with ,saidshoulde'r and-rest'thereupon Y when the tray isfin position within the vault, v

. st-'theupper edges of the walls of the tray being flush with the upper edges of the *walls y.of the vault when i-nvsaid position, and a plurality of lapertures 'in the bottom portion oi the trayproviding communication between L-fthe interior of the tray and the interior of the vault, and a; quantity'of absorbent material withiny the tray, and acover for the vault comprising a plate adapted to rest upon the upper edges of the walls of the vault and of wigthe tray and to have its outer edges flush` with the outer surfaces of thewalls of the vault and a plastic binder flowed between. the walls'of the tray and ofthe vault and upon the upper edges of' the-tray and vault for ISovgisealing-the joints therebetween and` securling the tray and cover in position withrespect to the vault. y

In testimony whereof we aihx our signatures. ci i DONNA E. MINTON. 1

, Y -SENE GALLAGHER.- Y 

